Tyco Electronics Corporation

Berg Technology, Inc.

John Bossert Brown, Iii

Troy Everette Conner

Attalee Snarr Taylor

Matthew Richard McAlonis

Justin Shane McClellan

David Charles Martin

Michael Allen Blanchfield

Peter Paul Wilson

Brett Charles Miller

Richard Elof Hamner

Michael Anthony Correll

James Charles Shiffler

Steven Weller

An electrical socket is provided that holds an array of contacts. Each contact includes first and second contact elements that are configured to be joined in an electrically common manner. The first and second contact elements have first and second contact beams, respectively, that are oriented to project toward one another and to overlap. The first and second contact elements each have base portions that are formed separate from one another and are configured to be joined to a common conductive path on the circuit board.

Contact having multiple contact beams

A socket connector including a socket base having a slot oriented at a first angle with respect to a bottom surface of the socket base. The socket connector also includes a contact having a base beam and a retention portion. The retention portion forms an initial angle with the base beam before the contact is assembled with the socket base that differs from the first angle. The socket base receives the contact with the retention portion held in the slot such that an angle between the base beam and the retention portion is changed from the initial angle.

Socket connector carrying flexible contacts

A cover for an electrical socket includes multiple walls joined with one another and configured to overlay an electrical socket. A latch element is provided with at least one of the walls to securely retain the walls against the electrical socket. A rigid member is secured to the walls and retains the walls in a predefined relation with respect to one another. The rigid member includes a heat resistant plate rigidly mounted to the walls of the cover which include lower edges and upper edges aligned in a common plane. The upper and lower edges are configured to abut against and retain the electrical socket in a common planar relation with one another. Brackets extending from the walls slidably receive the rigid member.

Electronic package with socket and reinforced cover assembly

An electrical contact is provided that includes a body configured to be held on a circuit board. The body of the contact is movable relative to the circuit board along at least a first axis of motion. The contact includes a contact portion joined with the body that is configured to engage an electrical component. The contact portion may include one or more contact beams. The contact further includes a termination lead joined to the body and having an outer end that is configured to be soldered to the circuit board. The termination lead extends from the body at an acute or right angle to the first axis of motion. The termination lead flexes about an arcuate path as the body of the contact shifts along the first axis of motion with respect to the circuit board.

Electrical contact with compliant termination leads

An electrical connector assembly comprising a housing having an interior chamber defining at least one lead frame plane, and identical sets of non-identical lead frame elements. The lead frame plane has a reference point. The lead frame elements are mounted in the interior chamber and aligned within at least one lead frame plane. The lead frame elements are adjustable along the lead frame plane between multiple levels with respect to the reference point. The multiple mating levels of the lead frame elements are created from only one lead frame. The mating levels are selected by the individual lead frame elements being positioned with respect to the reference point. The electrical connector also comprises N lead frame elements, each of which is adjustable between M mating levels to form X lead frame configurations, wherein X=M.

Multi-sequenced contacts from single lead frame

A connector assembly is provided with a floatable mounting apparatus formed thereon to enable the connector assembly to correct for misalignment between mounting structures. The connector assembly includes a connector housing having peripheral surfaces with an outer contour shaped to loosely fit in an inner contour of a mounting structure, such as a card, panel, circuit board, bulk head, rack assembly and the like. The connector housing is slidably inserted into the opening through the mounting structure. A chamber is provided in the connector housing adapted to securely retain contacts. At least one latch beam is formed with the connector housing and aligned to engage the mounting structure. A float gap is located between the inner contour of the opening through the mounting structure and the outer contour of the connector housing to enable relative movement therebetween. Guide pins are provided on a receptacle connector and guide pockets are provided on a plug connector to facilitate alignment therebetween during a mating operation. At least one of the receptacle and plug connectors are provided with a pattern of contact receiving cavities therein, in which the cavities are formed in staggered overlapping rows to afford a compact connector envelope while enabling large blades and large wire gauges to be used.

Floatable connector assembly with a staggered overlapping contact pattern

A connector assembly includes a floatable mounting apparatus that enables the connector assembly to correct for misalignment between mounting structures. The connector assembly also includes a connector housing having peripheral surfaces with an outer contour shaped to loosely fit in an inner contour of a mounting structure, such as a card, panel, circuit board, bulk head, rack assembly and the like. The connector housing is slidably inserted into the opening through the mounting structure. A chamber is provided in the connector housing adapted to securely retain contacts. At least one latch beam is formed with the connector housing and aligned to engage the mounting structure. A float gap is located between the inner contour of the opening through the mounting structure and the outer contour of the connector housing to enable relative movement therebetween. Guide pins are provided on a receptacle connector and guide pockets are provided on a plug connector to facilitate alignment therebetween during a mating operation. At least one of the receptacle and plug connectors are provided with a pattern of contact receiving cavities therein, in which the cavities are formed in staggered overlapping rows to afford a compact connector envelope while enabling large blades and large wire gauges to be used.

A fastener apparatus for mechanically connecting and holding the main housing of an electrical device, such as an electrical connector, to a substrate, such as a PCB, in a manner that allows for a relatively low insertion force and a corresponding relatively high retention force. The fasteners are adapted for attachment to both an electrical connector and to a substrate, thereby forming a mechanical connection between the two. Preferably, one or more fasteners are attached to the housing of the electrical connector and then the electrical connector having fasteners extending therefrom is connected to board openings formed in the PCB. The fastener apparatus is constructed having one or more arms connected to a bottom end of the fastener, the arms sweep outward and upward from the bottom end toward the top end. Preferably, the arms have a cantilevered design that allows the arms to deflect inward during insertion of the fastener into the board openings, thereby providing for a relatively low insertion force. Preferably, the arms are also formed having a taper. The tapered design of the arms has a predetermined inclined surface, forming an angle of inclination which results in a more onsistent insertion force, and does not create any sudden release of force or energy during insertion of the fastener into the substrate which might dislodge components mounted on the surface of the substrate. The arms are formed having an apex formed at the distal end. The apexes are adapted for connectively engaging the side walls of the board openings of the substrate thereby providing a retention force to hold the connector on the substrate. In addition, the arms tend to splay outward when a withdrawal force is applied to the fastener causing the arms to bite into the side walls of the board opening. This results relatively high retention force that holds the connector on the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Dillsburg, PA, United States of America

John Bossert Brown, Iii